Has it been a strangely low-key start from Nadal? We haven’t seen anything
explosive from him yet

No, I think he’s trying to find his way with Berdych on this surface and on this court as well. That’s what I said, as well you know, he used to play with
Federer all the time, he knows exactly what’s coming. This time it’s a surprise, so

… I really like the way Berdych is playing. He’s calm, he’s not trying to go for too much …

as uh Nadal serves another ace down the middle. Um and that is … you
know, both players seem to have a very good start, it’s a good match up, not any unforced errors so far really. It’s good hitting out there. So Rafael is probably still waiting for the right time to kick it up to gear number six when he needs a break.

Well that’s two service games in a row that Nadal has started with aces. And now it’s another strong serve. It comes off the frame and Berdych is in the air … hold it and he does.

There’s uh a man in a checked shirt …you know deep mid-wicket I would say and he has claimed that very impressively and is very chuffed with himself, gets a pat on the back from the uh lady he is here with as well and that
will earn him some Brownie points for later no doubt.

Chucks the ball back and Nadal at 30-love. Just missing with the first serve …
certainly would have impressed Jonathan Ackney uh who we heard from earlier. He’s in the first row of the stand away to our left here who also paid close attention to the hawk eyed challenge of a few moments ago.

Down the line goes Nadal, now that is an explosive forehand … Berdych on the defensive and then Nadal tried to kill the point down the middle … Berdych gets it back. Another smash from Nadal, Berdych still in it … down the line goes Berdych … oh, he’s
won the point! Nadal low on the forehand, incredible resilience at the back of the court from the underdog and he just kept the point alive and Nadal couldn’t believe the ball kept coming back.

It was good effort …I mean he…

Berdych picked, basically, the side like where he was coming … like the opposite side he was running to the front side and Nadal hit it to the middle and Berdych reacted very quickly there. Um those are the points that also lift your spirit as well you know it’s like it really helps.

It’s the sort of point that makes Nadal believe, not that he didn’t before, that he is in a match. This is a contest. It could be close. Nadal, a very, very strong favourite going into this, with the bookmakers certainly. But uh those of us who watched Tomás Berdych over the years, we know all about his ability. Just waiting, as we say, for him to take that one final step to uh to destiny almost, to a major title … back into the top ten. Well, he’ll be in the top ten whatever happens here today.

Forehand from Nadal on the stretch and he lands it short and Berdych will punish him from mid-court. This is brilliant play from the world
number thirteen and he knows that when he gets those short balls, he’s gotta take his opportunity like he did there with the forehand.